Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TI~LE: STORAGE RACK FOR MAGNETIC TAPE CARTRIDGES
INVENTOR: DAVID O. HATCHER
BACKGROUND OF TH~ INVENTION
This invention relates generally to shelving apparatus and
relates more particularly to shelf-defining racks within which
magnetic tape cartridges are stored.
Conventional racks with which this invention is concerned
include shelves for accepting and storing magnetic tape
cartridges placed upright and edgewise thereupon so that the
stored cartridges are arranged in a plurality of rows and the
cartridges in each row are arranged in side-by-side relationship.
Typically, an exposed edge of each cartridge bears a label for
purposes of identifying the cartridge.
When embodied in the form of a floor-standing model, the
conventional rack commonly includes a plurality of lowermost
shelves arranged in a superposed relationship spaced relatively
close to the floor so that a person searching for a cartridge
positioned upon one of these lowermost shelves must often bend or
stoop from a standing position in order to read the lahels borne
by the cartridges positioned upon these shelves. Such bending is
almost always required if the person searching for the cartridge
must stand relatively close to the racl< such as is the case if
there exists only a relatively narrow walkway or aisle extending
along the front of the rack. It is known, however, that such a
rack can be constructed so that the labels borne by cartridges in
the lowermost shelves are viewable by a person standing alongside
the rack so that the person need not stoop to remove a cartridge
until the desired cartridge is spotted. In such a construction,
the lowermost shelves are oriented in a canted relationship so
that the label-bearing edges of the cartridges positioned
thereupon are contained generally in a single plane oriented at
an angle relative to the vertical to thereby expose the cartridge
labels to a person standing alongside the racks.
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Commonly, a rack of the aforedescribed construction has a
base which must be sufficiently wide enough, as the rack is
measured from front to back, to accommodate the aforedescribed
canting of the lowermost shelves. Accordingly, the base of the
rack protrudes forwardly of the rernainder of the rack to
accommodate the aforedescribed canting. However, the floor space
requirements for such a rack may render such a rack undesirable,
particularly in rooms in which f loor space for cartridge storage
is costly due to air-conrJitioning, security, and fire-prevention
requirements .
In addition to the amount of floor space commonly required
by conventional racks, another limitation associated with
conventional racks relates to the general difficulty of removing
individual tape cartridges from the racl<. For example, a
cartridge may be framed so closely between two adjacent
cartridges and beneath an overhanging shelf that the edges or
opposite sides of the cartridge are difficu]t to grasp for
purposes of removing of the cartridge. Furtherrnole, in some
instances, the grasping of a cartridge for removal purposes is a
cumbersome two-handed operation.
It is known that each shelf of such a conventional rack can
be separated by appropriate dividers into spaced
cartridge-receiving receptacle slots to facilitate the grasping
of opposite sides of the cartridge, but such dividers can
significantly reduce the amount of cartridge storage space
available along the length of the shelf. It is also l<nown that
any of various types of spring mechanisms can be mounted at the
back of a shelf and behind each cartridge for "kicking" the tape
cartridge forwardly when the cartridge is depressed against the
spring mechanism and suddenly released to a condition relative to
adjacent cartridges at which the opposite sides of the cartridge
can be grasped. However, such spring mechanisrns can
significantly contribute to cost of a rack.
It is an object of the present inventiorl to provide a new
and improved storage rack for magnetic tape cartridges which when
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constructed in the form of a floor-standing racl< requires less
floor space than does a conventional floor-standing rack yet is
adapted to support cartridges in such a manner that
identification labels borne by an edge of each cartridge stored
thereon are easily viewable by a person standing alongside the
rack.
Another object of the present invention to provide such a
storage rack in which cartridges can be stored in a compact,
space-conserving arrangement and from which individual tape
cartridges can be easily removed with one hand.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide
such a storage rack having shelves wherein the density for
cartridge storage is effectively maximized along the length of
the shelves.
Yet still another object of the present invention is to
provide such a storage rack havin~ superposed shelves wherein the
vertical density for cartridge storage is enhanced.
A further object of the present invention is to provide
such a storage rack which is economical to construct and
effective in operation.
A still further object of the present invention is to
provide such a storage rack having shelves whicll strongly resist
a forward shifting of cartridges positioned thereupon due to an
accidental jarring or a shaking of tl-e rack to thereby enhance
the storage security of cartridges positioned upon the rack
shelves.
A yet still further object of the present invention is to
provide such a storage rack which is particularly well-suited for
storing magnetic tape cartridges of the type, or comparable to
the type, manufactured by IBM and known as the 3480 magnetic tape
cartridge.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention resides in a new and improved storage rack
for magnetic tape cartridges.
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The storage rack includes shelf means having means defining
at least two shelves for supporting a plurality of magnetic tape
cartridges in an upstanding, side-by-side relationship and means
for supporting the shelves in a superposed relationship so that
one shelf is positioned generally above the other shelf. Each
shelf includes means defining a back for the shelf and a platform
for tape cartridges operatively positioned thereupon wherein the
platform defines a substantiaLly linear forward edge. The
supporting means supports each shelf so that its forward edge is
arranged substantially horizontally and each shelf platform is
oriented so that the edge of a tape cartridge operatively
overlying the platform is canted rearwardly and downwardly from
the corresponding forward edge so that the overlying cartridge
edge defines an acute angle with the horizontal wherein the
aforesaid acute angle is within the range of about ten to twenty
degrees. The forward edge of each shelf is arranged so as to be
overhung by a cartridge stored thereupon. Furthermore, the
platform-defining means of one shelf is spaced above the
platform-defining means of the other shelf a distance which is
substantially no greater than the vertical height of a cartridge
when positioned upon the other shelf plus an amount providing
finger clearar)ce between the underside of the platform-defining
means of the one shelf and the upper edge of a cartridge when
positioned upon the other shelf so that an index finger of one
hand can be placeri atop a cartridge stored upOIl the other shelf
and the cartridge pivoted forwardly with the index finger
relative to the other shelf about the corresponding forward edge
from a stored condition to a forwardly-tilted condition in
relationship to adjacent cartridges so that the opposite sides of
the cartridge can be grasped between the thumb and remaining
fingers of the one hand for purposes of withdrawing the cartridge
from the other shelf.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
Fig. 1 is a perspective view, shown partially cutaway, of
an
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embodiment of a storage racl< in accordance with the present
invention.
Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken about on
line 2-2 of Fig. 2.
Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken about on
line 3- of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is an fragmentary elevational view of the front of
the Fig. 1 racl< illustrating a plurality of tape cartridges when
operatively positioned tl-ereill.
Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken abcut on line 5-5 of
Fig. 4 illustrating the operative positioning of a finger upon a
cartridge for the purpose of tilting the cartridge forwardly from
a stored condition to a forwardly-tilted condition.
Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 illustrating the
positioning of the Fig. 5 cartridge in a forwardly-tilted
condition and the operative grasping of the cartridge for
purposes of removing the cartridge from the rack.
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment
of a storage rack in accordance with the present invention.
Fig. 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken about on
line 8-8 of Fig. 7 illustrating a cartridge operatively
positioned upon one of the shelves of the Fig. 7 rack.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF T~IE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Turning now to the drawings in greater detail and
considering first Fig. 1, there is illustrated an embodiment,
generally indicated 10, of a tape storage rack in accordance with
the present invention and shown positioned upon a floor B. The
storage rack 10 includes a plurality of shelves 14, 15, 16, 17,
18 facing forwardly of the rack 10 for supporting magnetic tape
cartridges 12,12 (Fig. 4) in a plurality of horizontally-arranged
rows. The rack 2û further includes support means, generally
indicated 13, for supporting the shelves 14-18 in a stacked or
superposed relationship so that all but the lowermost shelf 14 is
positioned generally and immediately above another shelf in the
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rack 10. As will be apparent llereina~ter, the shelves 14-18 are
each of such size and arranged relative to one another that an
individual tape cartridge 12 stored upon any of the shelves can
be easily removed therefrom.
¦ The rack embodiment 10 has been constructed to store
i magnetic tape cartridges 12,12 of the type commonly known as or
comparable to the IBM 3480 magnetic tape cartridge. With
reference to Figs. 4 and 5, the tape cartridge 12 has an outside
surface shaped somewhat in the form of a rectangular prism having
two opposite and substantially parallel faces or sides 20,22 an
upper edge 24, a lower or bottom edge 26, a forward edge 28 and a
rearward edge 30. The height of the IBM 3480 magnetic tape
cartridge as measured between the top and lower edges 24 and 26,
respectively, is about 4.3 inches (10.9 cm), the length of the
IBM cartridge as measured between tlle forward and rearward edges
28 and 30, respectively, is about 4.8 inches (12.2 cm), and the
width of the IBM cartridge as measured between the sides 20 and
22 is about 1.0 inches (2.5 cm). Commonly, and with reference to
Fig. 5, each tape cartridges 12 includes a pair of ribs 21,23
extending along one side face 22 of the cartridge. Each rib 21
or 23 is raised so as to protrude outwardly frorn the planar
portion of the side face 22 so that when the side face 22 of one
cartridge 12 is placed against the side face 20 of another
cartridge 12, the ribs 21,23 of the side face 22 flatly engage
the side face 20 of the other cartridge 12. Each rib 21 or 23 is
arranged along linear path oriented generally parallel to the
bottom edge 26. In the IBM 3480 cartridge, the rib 21 is spaced
.8 inches (2 cm) from the bottom edge 26 and is raised from the
planar portion of the side face 22 about .03 inches (.01 cm).
With reference again to Fig. 1, the supporting means 13
includes a pair of upstandiny side supports 32,34 each comprised
of a pair of coplanar pieces 33,35 for supporting the rack as a
free-standing structure and a top member 36 extending between the
side supports 32,34. Each side support 32 or 34 is generally
planar in shape, defines an inside surface 38, an outside surface
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40, a forward edye 42, a rearward edge 44, a bottorn edge 46 and a
r top edge 48. The top member 36 is also planar in shape and
defines a forward edge 50, a rear edge 52 and two opposite side
edges 54,56. As shown in Fig. 1, the bottom edges 46,46 rest
upon the floor B, and the side supports 32,34 are oriented
generally vertically and in parallel relationship with one
another. The side edge 54 of the top member 36 is fixed to the
top edge 48 of the side support 32 and the side edge 56 of the
top member 36 is fixed to the top edge 48 to ti7e side support 34
to join and stabilize the side supports 32 and 34. The support
means 13 of the rack ernbodiment 10 is constructed of sheet
material, such as sheet steel, but it will be understood that any
of a number of suitable materials can be used.
The rack 10 includes, in addition to the
previously-mentioned, or first set of shelves 14-18, a second set
of shelves, such as the ones indicated 25,27, arranged in
superposed relationship on the rearward side of the rack 10 so
that each shelf of the second set is arranged in a back-to-back
relationship with a corresponding shelf of the first set of
shelves and open or face generally in a direction opposite the
direction faced by each shelf of the first shelf set.
Accordingly, the width of the side supports 32,34 as measured
between the forward and rearward edges 42,4~l is sufficient to
accommodate the width of the back-to-back arranyement of
shelves. Furthermore, inasmuch as the rearward side of the rack
10 including the second set of shelves are identical in
construction to that of the f;rst set oF shelves 14-18 with the
exception being that the shelves of the second set face opposite
the direction in which the shelves 14-18 of the first sllelf set
face, the ensuing discussion will address only tlle first set of
shelves 14-18 with it being understood that the ensuing
description of shelves 14-18 applies to the shelves of the second
set.
As exemplified by the shelf 16 of Figs. 2 and 3, each shelf
14, 15, 16, 17 or 18 includes means, indicated 60, defining a
platform for a tape cartridge 12 operatively positioned thereupon
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and means, indicated 62, defining a back for the shelf. The
~' support means 60 includes a substantially planar support surface
64 defining a forward edge 68 and a rearward edge 70 and a
plurality of relatively thin, upstanding dividers 66 disposed
along the length of the support surface 64. As best shown in
Fig. 2, each divider 66 is relatively short in height in
comparison to its length and is arranged in spaced and parallel
relationship with its adjacent divider 66.
The dividers 66 serve the dual function of separating the
platform means 60,60 into a plurality of individual
cartridge-accepting receptacles 67,67 and providing means by
which each cartridge 12 is operatively supported upright upon a
shelf. In the rack embodiment 10, the dividers 66 are each
constructed of twenty gauge sheet steel having a thickness which
is less than the protruding height (i.e., .03 inches) of the ribs
21,23 of the 3480 cartridge and are each spaced from an adjacent
divider 66 a distance sliyhtly greater than the thickness of a
tape cartridge to be stored upon a shelf of the rack 10 so that
each receptacle 67 can slidably, receive a cartridge inserted
edgewise therein. Furthermore and with reference again to Fig.
4, there is defined between each pair of side-by-side cartridges
12,12 and beneath a rib 21 a region R for receiving a divider 66
when the two side-by-side cartridges 12,12 are positioned on
opposite sides of the divider 66. Therefore, no cartridge
storage space is sacrificed along the length of each shelf by the
inclusion of the dividers 66 in the rack 10 so that the cartridge
storage density as viewed horizontally, or along the length of
each shelf, of the rack 10 is effectively maximized.
In accordance with the present invention and with reference
to Fig. 5, the forward edge 68 of each shelf 14, 15, 16, 17 or 18
is oriented transversely of and arranged beneath the bottom edge
26 of a cartridge 12 operatively positioned upon the
corresponding shelf so that the forward edge 68 acts as a fulcrurn
about which the lower edge 26 of the cartridge 12 is pivoted or
rocked forwardly relative to the corresponding shelf from the
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stored condition of the cartridge 12, as illustrated. It will be
r understood that as the cartridge 12 is pivoted forwardly as
aforesaid, the cartridge bottom edge 26 moves in rolling contact
with and about the edge 68. To this end, the depth of the
platform means 60 as measured between the forward and rearward
edges 68 and 70, respectively, and upon which the lower edge 26
of the cartridge 12 is adapted to rest when operatively stored
thereon is shorter than the length of the bottom edge 26 of the
cartridge 12 positionable upon the shelf. Therefore and as shown
in Fig. 5, when a cartridge 12 is operatively positioned upon a
shelf of the rack 10, the lower edge 26 overhangs so as to extend
forwardly of the forward edge 68. In the rack embodiment l0, the
length of the support means 60 as measured between the forward
and rearward edges 68 and 70, respectively, is about .83 times
the length of the cartridge bottom edge 26 (or about 4 incnes or
10 cm if the cartridge 12 is an IBM 3480 cartridge), but it is
believed that in accordance with the broader aspects of the
present invention, the length of the support means can be between
.75 and .90 times the length of the bottom edge 26 of the
cartridge positionable upon a shelf of a racl< in accordance with
the present invention.
With reference again to Figs. 1 and 2, the back means 62 of
the rack 10 is platen-like in shape so as to define a planar
backing surface 72 having an upper edge portion 74 and a lower
edge portion 76. The back means 62 is arranged relative to the
platform means 60 so that the plane of the backing surface 72 is
oriented at a right angle to the plane of the support surface 64.
With reference still to Fig. 2, the rack embodiment 10
includes means, generally indicated 80, for attaching each shelf
14,15,16, 17 or 18 to the supporting means 13. In the rack
embodiment 10, the attaching rneans 80 includes a pair of flanges
82,84 defined at each end of each shelf which provide surfaces
oriented at a right arigle to the support surface 64 and back
means 62 for engaging the inside surface 38 of a corresponding
side support 32 or 34. The flanges 82,84 at each shelf end are
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affixed to a corresponding one of the side supports 32,34 to
thereby join the shelves to the supporting means 13. In the rack
embodiment 10, eacll shelf 14,15, 16, 17 or 18 is comprised oF a
single piece of thin-guaged sheet metal, such as twenty gauge
sheet steel, which has been appropriately cut and bent along
appropriate fold lines so that the platform means 60, the back
means 62 and each of the end flanges 82 or 84 are formed from a
single piece of sheet metal. The dividers 66,66 have been
formed out of the single piece by, for example, a lancing and
forming process. The flanges ~2,84 and the side supports 32,34
of the rack 10 are attached by welds.
In further accordance with the present invention and with
reference again to Fig. 5, the platform means 60 is supported by
the side supports 32,34 so that the lower edge 26 of a tape
cartridge 12 operatively positioned upon a shelf of the rack 10
is inclined or canted rearwardly and downwardly from the forward
edge 58. To this end, the platform means 60 of each shelf is
supported so that its planar support surface 64 is inclined so as
to define an acute angle, indicated A, with the horizontal,
indicated H, when the platform means 60 is viewed in cross
section and from one side thereof as illustrated in Fig. 5. In
the rack embodiment shown, the acute angle A is about fifteen
degrees, but it is believed that the acute angle ~ can be in the
range from about ten degrees to about twenty degrees in
accordance with the broader aspects of this invention.
As mentioned earlier, the shelves L4-i8 of the rack
embodiment 10 are supported by the supporting means 13 in a
stacked or superposed relationship so that each shelf 15, 16, 17
or 18 is arranged immediately above a shelf 14, 15, 16, or 17,
respectively. In accordance with the present invention, there
exists spacing between the platform means 60,60 of adjacent
shelves, such as shelves 16, 17 of Fig. 5, which is substantially
equal to and no greater than the projected vertical height,
indicated D, of a cartridge 12 when positioned upon the lower of
the adjacent shelves and measured from the corresponding forward
edge 68 plus
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an amount providing finyer clearance between the underside of the
platform means 60 of the upper of the adjacent shelves and the
upper edge of a cartridge 12 when positioned upon the lower of
the adjacent shelves. Furthermore, there exists sufficient
spacing, indicated S in Fig. 5, between the overhanging shelf
15,16,17 or 18 and the top edge 48 of a cartridge 12 positioned
upon the shelf immediately beneath the overhanging shelf that the
cartridge 12 can be rocked or pivoted forwardly about the forward
edge 68 with a finger positioned atop the cartridge 12 from a
stored condition as sllown in Fig. 5 to a forwardly-tilted
condition as shown in Fig. 6. In the aforesaid forwardly-tilted
condition, portions of the opposite sides 20,22 of the cartridge
12 protrude forwardly of the adjacent cartridges 12,12 so that
the forwardly-tilted cartridge 12 can be grasped by its sides
20,22 in a manner hereinafter described.
With reference still to Fig. 5, the cartridge 12 can be
pivoted forwardly from the illustrated stored condition through
an angle T about the forward edge 28 before the top edge 24 of
the cartridge 12 stril<es the underside of the platform means 60
of the overhanging shelf. In the rack embodiment 10, the angle T
is about thirty degrees, but it is believed that the angle T can
be as low as ten degrees and the portions of the cartridge sides
20,22 protruding forwardly of adjacent cartridges 12,12 still be
sufficie,ntly exposed for grasping purposes. Because of the
relatively close verti,cal spacing of the rack shelves 14-18
discussed above, it is believed that the vertical storage density
for cartridges stored upon the rack 10 is relatively great and
thereby desirably enhanced.
The steps involved in removing the tape cartridge 12 from
the corresponding shelf 16, and with reference to Figs. 5 and 6,
include an initial step of placing an index finger F of one hand
6 upon the top edge 24 of the cartridge 1?. The finger F is then
moved forwardly to pull or pivot the top edge 24 of the cartridge
12 forwardly relative to the shelf 16 and generally in the
direction of the arrow C from the Fig. 5 stored condition to the
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Fig. 6 forwardly-tilted condition. With the cartridge 12 in the
Fig. 6 condition, the portions of the cartridge sides 20,22 which
protrude forwardly of the adjacent cartridges 12,12 can then be
simply grasped by squeezing the cartridge 12 between the thumb J
and remaining fingers of the hand G and withdrawing the cartridge
12 from the underlying sllelf 16 with the hand G.
With the finger F positioned atop the cartridge 12 as
illustrated in Fig. 5, the thumb J and remaining fingers K are
arranged in position adjacent the forward edge 28 of the
cartridge 12 for grasping the cartridge sides 20722 when the
cartridge 12 is moved to the Fig. 6 forwardly-tilted condition.
Hence, it will be understood that an individual cartridge 12 can
be easily and quickly removed from a shelf in the rack 10 with a
relatively quick motion of a single hand.
In addition to the above-described advantage of the rack 10
directed to the ease with which tape cartridges 12,12 can be
individually removed therefrom, an additional advantage provided
by the rack 10 of this invention is directed to tl-e rearward
inclination or canting of the support surface 64 relative to the
forward edge 68 of the corresponding shelf. The aForesaid
rearward canting enhances the cartridge retention of the shelves
in that the rearward canting strongly resists forces, such as may
result from accidental jarrings or a shaking of the rack 10,
which may otherwise tend to vibrate or shift the cartridges
forwardly and off the shelf. Furthermore, if during removal of a
tape cartridge from a shelf of the rack 10, the tape cartridge 12
is fumbled and dropped in any point in time prior to a displacing
of the cartridge 12 relative to the corresponding shelf so that
its center of gravity is positioned forwardly of the forward edge
68 of the shelf, the effect of gravity simply returns the
cartridge 12 to the stored condition upon the shelf. Hence, the
security of cartridge-retention is enhanced by the rearward
inclination of each shel-f support surface 64.
Another advantage provided by the aforedescribed rearward
inclination of each support surface 64 relates to the ease with
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which a person searching for a desired tape cartridge 12 stored
on the rack 10 can see the forward label-bearing edge 28 of
cartridges 12 stored on the lowermost shelves 14,15. More
specifically, the aforedescribed canting arranges each cartridge
12 so that its forward edge 28 faces forwardly and upwardly to
the extent necessary to render the forward edge 28, and hence any
identification label borne thereby, easily viewable by a person
standing alongside and relatively close to the rack 10. This
advantage can be readily appreciated when considering the fact
that aisles or walkways defined between cartridge-storage racks
are commonly narrow (often as small as twenty-four inches wide)
so that a person searching for a desired cartridge stored upon a
lowermost shelf of such a rack cannot stand away from the rack
and be able to scan the identification labels oF cartridges
stored adjacent the bottom of the rack. Instead, the person is
compelled to stand close to the front of the rack and, as is the
case with common conventional floor-standing racks, is therefore
required to stoop or bend over in order to read the labels of the
cartridges stored near tlle floor. In contrast, the
aforedescribed structure of the rack 10 which arranges cartridges
12,12 stored thereon so that the cartridge forward edges 2~ are
directed upwardly and forwardly enables a person standing
alongside the rack 10 to remain standing while viewing the
forward edges 28 and any identification label borne thereby of
cartridges positioned upon the lowermost shelves 14,15.
Still another advantage of the rack 10 relates to the
superposed relationship of the shelves therein wherein one shelf
is positioned generally above an underlying shelf. More
specifically, the shelves along each side of the rack 10 are
stacked in a substantially vertical relationship yet the forward,
or label-bearing, edge 28 of each cartridge 12 is viewable due to
the aforediscussed inclination of the shelves, by a person
standing alongside the rack 10 even if the cartridges 12 to be
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viewed are mounted upon the lowermost shelves 14,15. At least
one conventional floor-standing racl< has lowermost shelves which
are stacked in a non-vertical relationship so that each of the
lowermost shelves protrudes forwardly of the shelf arranged
immediately above. Such a non-vertical stacking of lowermost
shelves is believed to arrange cartridges stored thereupon in a
condition for easy reading of identification labels borne
thereby, but such a conventional rack is reLatively wide at the
base to accommodate such a non-vertical stacking of shelves. In
cartridge-storing rooms in which floor space is commonly costly
due to air-conditioning, security, and fire-prevention
requirements and due to the fact that the cartridges stored
therein must commonly be readily accessible to a user, and hence
stored relatively close to anticipated user personnel, the floor
space required by such a conventional wide-based rack may be
undesirable. In contrast, however, the stacked relationship of
the shelves of the rack 10 permits the rack 10 to be relatively
narrow (i.e., sixteen inches wide) as measured between forward
and rearward edges 42,44 of the side support 32 or 34 so that the
rack 10 requires a smaller floor space than does the conventional
wide-based rack discussed above and therefore is believed to be
well-suited for use in costly cartridge-storage rooms.
It will be understood that numerous modifications and
substitutions can be had to the aforedescribed embodiment without
departing from the spirit of the invention. For example,
although the rack 10 of Figs. 1-6 has been shown and described as
a stationary structure including a plurality of shelves in
superposed relationship so that the forward edge 28 of every
shelf 14-18 is contained within a single vertically-oriented
plane, a rack in accordance with this invention can be a movable
structure in which a plane containing the forward edges of each
rack shelf is slightly inclined to the vertical. For example,
there is shown in Figs. 7 and 8 an alternative embodilnent,
generally indicated 90, of a racl< in accordance with the present
invention in the form of a shelf-defining trucl< 100 for storing
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magnetic tape cartridges and transporting the cartridges from one
site to another. The truck 100 includes shelves 102-105,
respectively, each defining a forward edge 96. As best shown in
Fig. 8, each forward edge 96 of the shelves 102-105 is contained
within a single plane, indicated P, oriented at an angle,
indicated Q, relative to the vertical, indicated V. In the truck
100, the angle ~ is about ten degrees. Accordingly, the
aforedescribed rack embodiment 10 of Figs. 1-6 is intended for
the purpose of illustration and not as limitation.
